Chennai, Dec 15 (IANS): Factories making pharmaceuticals, medical devices, life saving medical equipment can use diesel gensets to run their plants, said the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas.

In an order issued on December 13, the Commission listed out eight sectors/areas as emergency purposes/services that are allowed to use diesel gensets as an exception in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The eight sectors are: (a) Medical Services (Hospital, Nursing Home, Healthcare Facilities) including units involved in manufacturing of life saving medical equipment/devices, drugs and medicines;

(b) Elevators/Elevators/Travelators and others in various installations;

(c ) Railway Services/Railway Stations;

(d) Metro Rail Corporation Services, including trains and stations;

(e) Airports and Inter-State Bus Terminus;

(f) Sewage treatment plants;

(g) Water pumping stations and

(h) National Security/Defence related activities/projects of national importance.

According to the order, for all other activities and services that need to use diesel gensets, the Commission's approval is needed.

Reacting to the order, Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator, Association of Indian Medical Devices Industry said: "The powers that be and policy makers understood the need not to only to resolve issue against Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices Ltd (HMD) specific appeal to the Prime Minister for continuing access to much needed syringes but also entire Medical Devices and Pharmaceutical Industry with ongoing Covid-19. This is a really appreciable empathetic decision for systemic correction and will help the NCR retain its attractiveness as a cluster of Medical Devices manufacturing."

Recently, the Commission for Air Quality Management had directed HMD and other industrial units in Faridabad to shutdown their units to control emissions in the NCR.

Subsequently. Nath who is also HMD's Managing Director, represented to the government pointing out the critical nature of the product made by the company -- needles and syringes -- and factory closure would affect not only Covid-19 vaccination programme but also healthcare delivery in general across the nation.

The company produces about 1.5 crore needles and 80 lakh syringes daily.

Nath also thanked the Prime Minister's Office, the office of Chief Minister of Haryana and others for their kind support in this systematic addressing of the issue for the long term for the entire medical devices industry.